If long marches could solve gas, electricity problems, we would have done'

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has said that if long marches could resolve gas and electricity shortages, the government itself would have organised the biggest one.

He made the remarks while speaking at the inauguration of the 14th International Agricultural Technology Fair in Bashundhara in the capital on Thursday (November 5).

"If long marches could solve the gas and electricity problems, we would have organised the biggest long march ourselves. People cannot be misled with long marches and empty gas cylinders. The people have given us five years," he said.

The state minister urged opposition parties to come to parliament and offer suggestions to the government instead of resorting to threats and street movements.

Speaking about the evaluation of researchers, Mir Shah Alam said some of the brightest people in the world become researchers, but they often do not receive proper recognition in the country. He pointed out that people sitting on the third or fourth benches in classrooms often go on to become director generals, while researchers remain undervalued.

He said the government was considering increasing researchers' salaries and allowances.

Highlighting the need to strengthen the country's agricultural economy after the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the minister said fairs and market management brought people together and facilitated the buying and selling of products.

He also alleged that the previous government had failed to conduct proper surveys, leaving the country without accurate data on its actual population, number of households and number of farmers.

The state minister further claimed that Bangladesh's dependence on agricultural imports was declining. Except for tomatoes, green chillies, sugar and soybean oil, the country did not need to import much in the way of agricultural products, he said.

Institutions such as the Rural Development Academy were playing an important role in boosting agricultural production, he added, noting that the government was currently providing Tk27,000 crore in subsidies on fertilisers.

On gas exploration and well drilling, Mir Shah Alam questioned why no new gas wells had been drilled over the past 20 years and why pipeline-based gas supply from Bhola had not been considered earlier.

He said work was now underway to establish a gas connection with Bhola, while the government had plans to drill 52 new gas wells.